A Shropshire company which scooped a prestigious King’s Award for the fourth year has had their award presented to them in a historic setting.
Grainger & Worrall, which employs 525 people at its foundry in Bridgnorth, was handed the accolade for Enterprise in Innovation by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner in a ceremony at Stockton House last week (June 11).
The firm is one of only 46 organisations to be recognised in the high-profile innovation category and was recognised for a pioneering new prototyping process for developing lightweight structures for electric vehicles.
The ceremony took place at Stockton House on the A442 between Telford and Bridgnorth, which is part of the Apley Estate and owned by Lord Gavin Hamilton.
Lord Hamilton said: “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to host the presentation of this King’s Award to a fantastic Shropshire company.
“Grainger & Worrall are a global leader in complex aluminium sand castings and it is a testament to the great work they do that they have secured the prestigious King’s Award – not least for the fourth time!
“Stockton House was a perfect setting, steeped in history and fit for royalty, as so many of our guests often say.”
The King’s Award for Enterprise recognises outstanding achievement by UK businesses in innovation, trade, sustainable development and social value.
The new process developed by Grainger & Worrall involves ‘gigacasting’, which replaces assembled components with a single piece of pressed aluminium, reducing weight and making vehicles easier to assemble on high volume production lines.
Duncan Eldridge, chief executive officer of Grainger & Worrall, said: “There is no bigger business accolade than the King’s Award for Enterprise, so we are thrilled and honoured to claim our fourth award, an achievement that puts us in an elite group of companies that have won so many.
“This achievement reflects the dedication, creativity and expertise of our talented team, who relentlessly strive to push the boundaries of what is possible in aluminium casting technology.
“Our development of prototype gigacastings is a perfect example of this and is not just a response to industry needs, but also represents our commitment to sustainability. Innovation is the cornerstone of our success and will help drive our growth both in the UK and in the dozens of international markets we serve.”
The company was first launched in Womborne in 1946 by brothers-in-law Vernon Grainger and Charles Worrall, opening its foundry in Bridgnorth in 1994.
Managers won their first Queen’s Award in 2007, at that time the Queen’s Award for Export, and following a management buyout in 2023, they now have a variety of new business sectors.
As well as award winning wedding venue Stockton House, Apley is also the custodian of 1,500 acres of woodland, a further 3,500 acres of in hand farmland farmed to high environmental standards and 3,500 acres of let farmland.
The company also runs the popular Apley Farm Shop, which includes a butchery, café and playbarn, and Apley on the High Street, a café in Bridgnorth Town Centre.
Each venture is run and managed with a vision for heritage, environment and community, with each decision carefully considering restoration, sustainability and developing relationships.
For more information about Apley visit www.apleyestate.co.uk.
